Social media influencer Jae’lynn Chaney, known for her “plus-size” content, recently ignited controversy after alleging mistreatment by an airport worker in Washington. Chaney claimed that during her visit to Sea-Tac International Airport, an employee refused to provide wheelchair assistance, leading her to struggle off the plane and nearly faint, as reported by the New York Post.
Plus Size Influencer has MELTDOWN after airport worker refused to push her in a wheelchair out of the plane due to her size.
Jae’lynn Chaney who uses She/Her pronouns in her bio, and regularly posts TikTok videos complaining about the size of seats on planes, claimed she was… pic.twitter.com/OMyNBvfzaf
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) May 20, 2024
Chaney, who boasts a sizable following on TikTok, detailed her experience, expressing shock and frustration at the worker’s alleged behavior. According to her account, despite requesting wheelchair assistance, the worker abandoned her at the jet bridge, making derogatory remarks about her size.
“I’m a plus-size wheelchair user and on a recent flight to the Sea-Tac airport, I requested wheelchair assistance, as I always do,” the narration said on Chaney’s post. “When it came time for me to deplane, I saw the employee who would be assisting me with my wheelchair waiting for me in the entry of the jet bridge.”
“As I approached her and she realized she’d be assisting me and not one of the smaller passengers she started to walk away with the wheelchair while making comments about my size,” she claimed.
While Chaney does not require a wheelchair for mobility, she emphasized feeling “blatantly ignored” and compelled to traverse the jet bridge unaided, which reportedly caused her distress and physical exhaustion.
“By the time she let me reach the wheelchair and sit down my lips were white, my oxygen levels had dropped, and I almost fainted,” the morbidly obese woman claimed.
The incident has sparked criticism, with many questioning Chaney’s portrayal of the events and her promotion of obesity as a healthy choice. Critics argue that Chaney’s demand for additional seating due to her size, coupled with her publicized struggles, may perpetuate a narrative that normalizes obesity and places undue burden on airline staff.
Moreover, Chaney’s previous controversies, including her call for passengers to cover fees for her extra seat, have fueled skepticism regarding her intentions and the validity of her claims.
While Chaney framed the incident as discrimination and urged others to share similar experiences, skeptics argue that her entitlement and promotion of obesity may overshadow genuine instances of discrimination faced by marginalized individuals.
The airport and airline authorities have yet to respond to the allegations, leaving room for speculation and debate surrounding Chaney’s narrative and the broader implications of her social media influence.
